John, it's YOUR choice to put-up with their schitt, or totally ignore their existance, I have family members that I've told, I wouldn't let them smell the schitt in my toilet, I do my best ALWAYS, to be at an "obligation" EARLY, out of respect for the other person, and if I don't feel like doing something, for or with someone, I make it perfectly clear, ( you're allowed to say NO ! ) the result for me is few friends ( my wifey is my BEST friend ) mostly Vets like myself, that are REAL true friends, NOT the "Face-Book" type which have no F#@%&@$#% idea what the word friend means, Hell, I get more help from folks on this forum, than some people I knew as "friends", also if an obligation CAN"T be met, then one party or the other, should initiate a way to contact the other, and give a justifiable explanation of the circumstances, RESPECT & HONESTY ........ between two people is the adhesive of a true friendship, unfortunately, I think those words have been banned by a lot of the A-holes that we co-exist with, I would, if a person like that (un-reliable) gave me a Christmas gift, I would tell them to shove it up their arse because it's probably as worthless as they are ! I find I can count MY true friends on one hand, the others are "known to me" ..!
